energizer bunny - no sleep

weekends that ryeders brother brett and sister emi come are always so enjoyable for us because he is so excited to see them. it is a time for him to be a typical child. rough house with his brother and be silly with his sister. he thoroughly enjoys the time he spends with them and it's great to see. i have a slow down period for him and i try to create some quiet play a few hours before bed but the problem i struggle with, is keeping him from being over stimulated, without me becoming the big bad witch. rye slow down, rye you have to share, rye too loud, rye, rye, rye... you get the big ugly picture. then we hit bedtime and he has been so over excited and over stimulated, that his little brain doesn't shut down over night. he tosses, he turns, he whines, he whimpers, and he sometimes screams out from nightmares. i truly feel for my poor guy, but he doesn't even remember his restless sleep. i on the other hand, get a very unsettled sleep, or no sleep at all. during the week when it is just he and i at home he sleeps quite peacefully. although ryeder didn't become a peaceful sleeper until maybe a year ago at the age of five, needless to say i was sleep deprived for four years. when his siblings visit - nights are anything BUT peaceful for me. there are many mothers of autistic children who have related their stories of sleepless nights, so it's good to know i'm not in the boat all alone. but i really need to find out if there is a way to deal with autistic children and over stimulation. if anyone out there has a piece of advice for me in that area it would be well appreciated.